Osaka, Japan - On the second and final day of the 46th IAAF Congress (22 – 23 Aug) which is being held in the Osaka Grand Cube Conference Centre, the following statement was endorsed by Congress which is the highest decision making body of the IAAF.

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The Member Federations of the IAAF recognize that the World Anti-Doping Code is under review and that international federations will be expected to implement the provisions of the revised Code to be adopted at the World Conference on Anti-Doping in Madrid (ESP) in November 2007.

In this regard, in the resolution passed unanimously at the 2005 IAAF Congress in Helsinki, the IAAF Council was mandated to advocate vigorously for the strengthening of penalties for doping infractions, and specifically for a 4-year penalty for first doping infractions of a serious nature. 

We remain convinced that strong penalties are an important cornerstone of an effective anti-doping campaign in general, and in athletics in particular.  

Therefore, at this 2007 Congress, we unanimously reiterate in the strongest possible terms the position adopted at the 2005 Congress regarding 4 year penalties for first-time serious doping infractions.  

The IAAF Council is therefore mandated by and on behalf of all Member Federations to pursue every reasonable means to ensure that the wishes of the athletics community are respected and that a regime of 4-year penalties for first serious doping infractions is adopted both within the World Anti-Doping Code and as the policy and practice of the IAAF.

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IAAF